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Wednesday, June 06, 2012

For 25 years the National Trust for Historic Preservation
has been alerting the general public regarding endangered historic places. Approximately 230 “threatened
one-of-a-kind-historic treasures” have been identified since 1988.

Whether these sites
are urban districts or rural landscapes, Native American landmarks, 20th-century
sports arenas, entire communities or single buildings, the list spotlights
historic places across America that are threatened by neglect, insufficient
funds, inappropriate development, or insensitive public policy.

The
Village of Zoarlocated in Zoar, Ohio….The historic Village of Zoar, home to nearly 200
residents, is protected from flooding by a levee built in the 1930s. Record
floods in 2005, however, raised concern about the levee’s integrity. Now, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has started a three-year study to assess the
levee’s future. One of many alternatives under consideration is removing it
entirely, which could require the relocation or demolition of 80% of this
remarkable historic village.

Bridges
of Yosemite Valley within Yosemite National Park in California…..Can you
actually believe there are plans to remove the beautiful bridges that span the
Merced River? The

National Park Service is preparing a comprehensive
management plan for the Merced River, which flows through the heart of Yosemite
National Park. Unfortunately, three historic Rustic Style bridges built in 1928
and 1932 are being considered for removal and face an uncertain future.

Malcom
X – Ella Little Collins house in Boston Massachusetts….Built in 1874, this modest structure is the last
known surviving boyhood home of Malcolm X. He shared the house with his half
sister, Ella Little-Collins, whose son is the current owner. Largely vacant for
over 30 years, plans are in development to rehabilitate and reuse the
deteriorating property. In partnership with Historic Boston, Rodnell Collins
dreams of preserving Malcolm X’s legacy by transforming the house into living
quarters for graduate students who are studying African American history,
social justice, or civil rights.

Historic
Post Office Buildings… across the nation are endangered. Last year, the U.S. Postal Service identified
nearly 4,400 post offices – large and small – that it plans to study for
closure. Unfortunately, city officials and local preservationists who
identified new buyers or uses for endangered post offices often find themselves
frustrated by a lack of information and guidance from the U.S. Postal Service…Local
post office buildings have traditionally played an essential role in the lives
of millions of Americans. Many are architecturally distinctive, prominently
located, and cherished as civic icons in communities across the country. Unless
the U.S. Postal Service establishes a clear, consistent process that follows
federal preservation law when considering disposal of these buildings, a
significant part of the nation’s architectural heritage will be at risk.

Joe
Frazier's Gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania….Inside this modest, three-story brick building,
Joe Frazier – a gold medal winner at the 1964 Olympics and later Heavyweight
Champion of the World – trained for his victorious bout against Muhammad Ali.
Today, the converted warehouse where Smokin’ Joe perfected his punch is home to
a discount furniture store and two floors of vacant space. Despite growing
interest in commemorating Frazier’s life (he died in 2011), the gym is
unprotected; it enjoys no formal historic designation at the local or national
level.

Ellis
Island Hospital Complex….I know it’s hard to believe, but there are
buildings on the island that have NOT been restored and are not open to the
public. Part of the Ellis Island National Monument, this
mostly unused complex of buildings near the restored Immigration Museum once
comprised the largest U.S. Public Health Service institution in the country.
Today, few Americans realize that portions of Ellis Island are un-restored and
off limits to visitors. The National Park Service stabilized the hospital
structures here a decade ago, but millions of dollars still must be raised to
rehabilitate the interiors of these historic buildings.

Sweet
Auburn Historic District in Atlanta, Georgia…. is on the list due to “inappropriate
development”. Since the district was added to the endangered list in 1992 the
residential area of the district has seenrevitalization, but the commercial section has suffered.Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976,
Sweet Auburn is a prime example of the flourishing segregated neighborhoods
founded by African Americans during the Jim Crow era in the South. The
neighborhood was home to countless businesses, congregations, and social
organizations, and was the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. The house in
which he was born still stands at 501 Auburn Avenue.

Terminal
Island…found in the port of Los
Angeles, California…..We see this all too often when historic structures are
scheduled for destruction.Terminal Island played a vital role during
WWI and WWII as a major shipbuilding center, and was the place where America’s
tuna canning industry came of age. The island also played a key role in a
tragic chapter of American history: In 1942, an entire Japanese-American
community there was seen as a national threat; its residents were forcibly
removed and imprisoned at the internment camp Manzanar.

Theodore
Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch located in
North Dakota….Theodore Roosevelt hunted, ran cattle, and explored this
expansive ranch in the rugged North Dakota Badlands in the late 19th century.
It was here that the 26th president of the United States developed a deep
appreciation for the American West and for conservation. Unfortunately, the
serenity of the ranch, which lies on both sides of the Little Missouri River,
is threatened by a proposed new road that would introduce a visual disruption,
as well as traffic, noise, and dust.

Princeton
Battlefield in Princeton, New Jersey…..This is a little hard to
believe. The site of George Washington’s
victory is being threatened by a housing development. A portion of the battle site, faces significant
threats, including a 15-unit housing development for faculty of the Institute
for Advanced Study. As proposed, the project would radically alter the
integrity of a rare, intact battlefield.

Seriously?

Faculty members in need of housing are threatening a major Revolutionary battlefield?!?

Texas
Courthouses across the state of Texas….Texas courthouses helped establish a unique
identity for each of the state’s counties, and 234 of the state’s 244
county-owned historic courthouses are still in active government use.
Unfortunately, many – including some of the oldest and most architecturally
distinguished – have fallen into disrepair due to inadequate funding and
maintenance.